playlist: the best punk songs of october 2024

Hey, it’s Evan. For the uninitiated, these monthly playlist posts feature my mommy blog-style check-ins about what’s been going on in the past month. This one’s maybe a little grandiose, because in October, therapy helped me cement that I no longer want to pursue a career in music writing. I was on that path for a dozen years and probably would’ve retired in that life if the billionaires let me. (That was never going to happen.) Instead, I’m viewing music writing as my art practice.

see/saw is something I do to honor the version of me that got into music writing as a teenager and the even younger person who had his life changed seeing the Lost Sounds at an American Legion Hall in Huntington, West Virginia. (I feel like I’m talking about that show a lot lately.) This thing I’m building is everything I always wanted this life to be. I’m doing radio and podcasts, interviews and weekly recommendations, making zines and presenting shows.

In last month’s playlist post I wrote about metrics (subscriber count for example), and it’s been occurring to me how numbers really don’t spark joy. It’s genuinely incredible that people subscribe and pay the $4/month for all the writing, but what means more is when I actually talk to people one-on-one. It’s having an incredible night at the Panel and Joust show, or it’s meeting a bunch of awesome people at Rash Fest. It’s getting genuinely heartwarming emails and DMs. It’s doing the podcast with Nina and interviewing people who make things.

I guess that’s what I mean about see/saw being my art practice and not a path to a career. If it makes money, that’s obviously great, but my focus is for it to mean something to someone. Even that isn’t fully the point. Like I said above, I do it for me. I do it to fill my own cup, and I’m building something that I desperately want to see in the world.

October was an incredible month for punk music, which is reflected in this truly massive playlist. If you’re new to see/saw, I think every single thing here was mentioned in some capacity on the site over the past month. If you like this thing, consider subscribing (for free or money, either way). Much love. Go vote.

the best punk songs of october 2024

1-800-MIKEY: Japan
COFFER: Curtain Rod
STERÖID: After Dawn
Dirty Ass: Membiru
nunofyrbeeswax: André the Giant
Rowdy: Keep It Secret
Meow Mewo and the Smackouts: War of Attrition (Sell Yr Synth)
ty: Devil Tattoo
Miracle Debt: Back Channel
Scud: Minor Injuries
The Circulators: Troublemaker
Cosey Mueller: Trotzstadt
Pressure Pin: Polyurethane
Gonk: Grown Ups
Power Pants: D.W.G.W.Y.
Thine Retail Simps: Prismic Dangle
Uranium Club: Beethoven’s Oven
The Antics: Masked
Toys That Kill: Sonic Glow
Shadow Show: Baba Yaga
The Brakes: Stranger
Oh Telephone: Can’t Ride With Me
No Drama: Papershop
Henrik Appel: Walking Down the Road
Alvilda: Alvilda
PYPY: Erase
Why Bother?: Tag the Train
The Submissives: Do You Really Love Me
The Dumpies: Gay Boredom
The Canadian Dispatch: I (Don’t) Wanna Go to Hollywood and Be Famous (Anymore)
Night Court: Miranda July
Brower: (Ooh, Baby!) I’m Tired
The Idgets: Hypospadias
Girl Fit: Vampire Crush
Itchy and the Nits: Nudie Beach
Amor, Muerte Y Leonora: Apaga La Luz
CLASS: Not an Idiot
Midgee: (Somebody) Shot Me
Gold Cup: Honey Boy
Fan Club: I Was a Stray
Snooper: Relay
Faux Depart: Drone
Venganza: 1312 Montaditos
Snarling Dogs: Televised Violence
Chubby and the Gang: Anticop
Man-eaters: Double Trouble
The Dry Retch: Shanghai Surprise
The Losers: Working Woman
Ruines: TEDIO
Black Ends: Red Worry
BZDET: NATARCIE
BARF!: I Am an Alcoholic
Das Nest: Second Tier
Disintegration: Hideaway
Qlowski: The Wound
Corker: Hallways of Gray
Faze: Who Does Your Daddy Sell His Guns To?
Pied-de-Biche: Citadelle
Piss Wizard: Eastlink
Achterlicht: Rinna
Public Pleasure: Shelley Duvall’s Cigarette Ash
Jealous Yellow: Purple Crayon
Medium: Peeking Through the Blinds
Dick Hick: Why Can’t I Get What I Want :(
Peter and the Skeeters: SLUMLORD
Feral Stupid: Executive Bathroom
Worldview: Worldview
Thirdface: Meander
The Dogs: Shut Up
Los Darks: Problemas
I JAM: Fireman’s Axe
TRIPE: Chip 4 Brains
Nervous B.O.: Groomed to Die
ABSCAM: D-Beat Cooper
Träume: Kraina Snów
Lack: Sense of Betrayal
Lackey: Lackey
Heterosexuals: Who’s Having Sex?
S.H.I.T.: KTF
Sick Fucks: Kings of Piss!
Kasso: Tranquilized
Consec: Biohacker
Hell Is Here: Children of No Tomorrow
Bottom Blade: CLUTCH
Decept: Ouroboros
Knife Kink: Trader
Use of Force: Locus of Control
Punitive Damage: Baptism of Fire
Zorn: Endless Funeral